Happy Families
by CretianStar
Summary: Nuggety one shots of happy endings for our favourite Harry Potter couples
1. Letters

A/N: So a new series of Harry Potter one shots (mostly cannon I think) and I've written a few of them so let's see how this goes! First up Draco and Astoria!

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"Dracoooo!" Astoria's voice came howling through the house and the blonde stuck his head out of the door of his study to locate his darling wife. Finding that she was not in the local vicinity, he stood up, clicked his back and went to find his now quiet wife.

"Tori, where are you?"

"Lounge." She shouted back and he found her sat on the couch staring at a parchment envelope. "Letter from Scorp, thought you'd want to be here when I opened it." She shrugged and he laughed. Even after five years of their only child being in Hogwarts, Astoria was always nervous about Scorpius' post. She was always afraid she'd read it to find something heart breaking, like the few letters they received in the first few months of school. But lo and behold, Scorpius Malfoy befriended Albus Potter and suddenly the letters were full of memories and exciting stories. Heavily edited stories no doubt because Draco had absolutely no doubt that Albus Potter had the same knack for trouble that his father had had.

 _Dear Mum and Dad,_

 _Term's started great as always though Al being a prefect is great. It does mean that when I'm late back from the library old Goyle can't take house points or get me into trouble because Al suddenly appears to walk me back to the Tower._

 _Classes are hard, Mum I know you said classes would be hard but they are HARD. I don't even want to think what NEWTs are going to be like if OWLs are this much of a pest. Speaking of pests, Milly Longbottom's cat has torn up one of my potions robe will you be able to send through my old one while I send an order to Madame Malkin's for a new one. Slughorn's really into the Potions Robe thing at the moment and he glares at me for my tattered one._

 _Medusa is doing fine, she still loves the Tower and I will always find her in the sun patch but please send more treats through, I know we've got tons in the cupboard and I feel bad for the poor delivery owls._

 _Thought I'd tell you that I actually beat Rose in Transfiguration class this week, though she then kicked my arse in Charms to prove a point. Cousin Chrissie is Captain of Slytherin's Quidditch team, thought you ought to know though Aunt Daphne's probably already told you._

 _Can you tell I'm running out of things to tell you? Classes are hard, friends are good, Mrs Weasley has apparently invited us all over in the Christmas holidays, including you two as well so I have to buy presents for her and Mr Weasley. Oh oh, no wait forgot to tell you something (can you also tell I'm using a Quoting Quill to write this as well?) She's also invited Granny over for Christmas. Wait Albus do you have the letter your Nana sent? Here it is, I quote, I hate to think of Scorpius' Grandmother on her own at Christmas, or for the four of them to have such a small Christmas so tell them they are more than welcome to join us because the more the merrier, I might as well be feeding half of Hogwarts population as it is, I'm more than happy to add the Malfoys to the list. Especially after Scorpius helped Hugo with that…. Never mind that part. Anyway Christmas, we've been invited._

 _Sum up, please Christmas parlay with Mrs Weasley, please send Medusa more treats, please give my love to Jesse, Frank and Barkimedes and tell them that I miss their howling at 5am. It's just not the same being able to sleep in to nine on the weekends. Oh and send me my old Potions Robe ASAP. And send through some ideas of what you want for Christmas, I downright refuse to gift you with another bottle of perfume mum and Dad I'm all for buying books but honestly there has to be SOMETHING ELSE._

 _Love you both lots and I miss you. Yes Al I tell my parents I love them and miss them. I'll tell your mum and Dad that I love them too because you are such a negligent son. So hah._

 _Anyway ignoring my arse of a dorm mate, I love you and I'll see you both soon._

 _Your charming son_

 _Scorpius._

 _p.s this announcement was made to you by buttheads of bestfriends primarily named Albus Potter who is actually finishing this letter because Scorp didn't end the spell for this. Hi Mr and Mrs Malfoy, hope to see you at Christmas! Nana makes the best, and I mean the best Christmas pudding. Byeeeee_

Draco was laughing by the time he'd finished reading the letter over his wife's shoulder.

"I never thought that the Potters, the Weasleys and the Malfoys would get on but that is life." He snorted before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Astoria folded the letter once more.

"To find my own parchment and quill and owl Mother and Mrs Weasley." Draco shrugged. "You need to find Scorp's old robes and get a box of treats for that dratted cat. Medusa, lives up to her name. And you remember what a stickler Slughorn was, that robe has to be sent through." Draco said all of this as he wandered through the house trying to find a quill.

"Draco."

"Why do we never have any bloody quills in this house? I buy them buy the sodding box load and there are never ever enough." He ranted.

"In the top drawer of the chest, just as we agreed." Astoria tutted, heading to the pantry to snag one of the smaller boxes of cat treats before vanishing upstairs to find the old potions robes. "Find the brown paper and string we can get this sent off this evening." She shouted down to her husband who shouted some form of agreement back.

When she came downstairs she found it all ready to go including a hastily scribbled note from Draco to Scorpius;

 _Scorp,_

 _As requested, one box of treats for that grumpy gorgon of a cat, one robe because you let Milly Longbottom walk all over you, and I've now written to Granny and Mrs Weasley about Christmas plans. I am also expecting a Christmas list from you and no you can't put a drum kit on it._

 _Will warn you, when Christmassing with the Weasleys extended family, be prepared to buy a lot of presents. Hope you are aware of this, there are a lot of them but sugar quills should make the cut._

 _Christmas presents for me – a new car, a new broomstick, a new cauldron, a box of quills that do not leave this house, a dressing gown, socks, slippers, a pipe, the latest Dan Brown muggle book, the latest Dan Brown wizarding book, a new chess set, a subscription to Potion Maker Monthly, a new scarf, new shoes, the latest volume of The Uses of Argentinian Flora in Potion Making or maybe half of Honeydukes. Any of the above will suffice._

 _Presents for your mum – Marc Jacobs new perfume._

 _Say hi to Al for us and tell him that we look forward to seeing him at Christmas as well._

 _Love you lots_

 _Dad (and mum) xx_


	2. Tantrums

A/N: A much shorter chapter. Hermione & Ron.

* * *

"Hugo put it down!" Hermione was looking than dignified as she chase her four year old through the house. Said toddler was veering through different rooms clutching Hermione's wand with a determined expression on his face. "Hugoooo." She was now coaxing but her child had his father's stubbornness and was very much set on his path of mayhem through their home.

~R&H~

When Ron would arrive an hour later, on his lunch between meetings at the Ministry he would find the house in a state of disarray. A major state of disarray in fact – there were blast marks on the wall, the armchair stuffing was on the floor, there were clothes everywhere, shattered ornaments dotted across the floor. It was a cause for alarm for Ron who had his wand drawn at the chaos around him.

"Mione." He whispered and carefully stalked his way through the house. A quick spell revealed two life forms upstairs so Ron headed that way, all prepared to vanquish his burglar when he spied a mess of brown curls on the bed. He stopped himself from calling out as he saw his son fast asleep next to Hermione, his tiny little fist wrapped loosely around her wand.

Ah.

Prying the wand from his grasp and replacing it quickly with a muggle biro on the side table, Ron looked around at the carnage with a new sense of humour. Leaving the bedroom quietly he went back downstairs, rolled up his sleeves and attempted to patch up the message his errant son had made.

He didn't have the knack for domestic spells like his mother or Mione but he could manage them and soon enough the rags were scrubbing at the blast marks, the superglue was fixing ornaments (slightly haphazardly) and the armchair stuffing was pushing itself back under the fabric. He wouldn't wake his exhausted wife or energetic toddler, though he had come back to spend lunch with them. What he would do was pen a note to say Mione's wand was now locked in the cupboard above the fridge, and that he'd be home at around five.

All Ron could think as he was leaving, was 'thank the gods Rose was the epitome of her mother and was at school and was a calm child. No magical tantrums from Rose'. Of course he still had her teenage years yet to come…


	3. Firewhisky

A/N: An underrated family this time round.

Enjoy and review if you so desire.

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"Molly…" Audrey's voice was soft and was a stark contrast to the furious face of Percy Weasley behind her.

Stony silence met her gentleness and the teenager was refusing to look at either parent.

"Molly, we have to talk as to why your father and I had to collect you from the Hogs Head because Dean Thomas rang us." Audrey had infinite more patience than her husband but even she could feel her reaching the limits at the sullen silence from their daughter. Molly risked a glance to her father and then looked down again just as fast. "Perce, wait outside."

At the noises now spluttering from her husband, Audrey's glare became steely.

"But!" He protested.

"Out!" She commanded and Molly was awed to see her father obey her mother and march outside. A quick charm put in place by her mother stopped him from overhearing and she also locked the door. "Now, do you want to tell me why you got trashed in the Hogs Head despite being only 15?" Audrey had sat down opposite Molly who bit her lip. "Or do you want to tell me who for?" She now gaped at her mother. "I may be your mum but I am not a fool. I was also a girl that got carried back to the Hufflepuff common room after Anthony Goldstein broke my heart and I filched firewhiskey from the Hogs Head. So, who was it?"

"Christopher Spinnet." Molly mumbled and all the resilience seems to have fled from the girl the moment her mother guessed what had caused her rebellion.

"Katie's boy. Now do you want to explain further?" Audrey asked as she wrapped her daughter in a hug. Molly crumbled against her and started to sniff, not realising how amazing a mother's hug can feel in the middle of a crappy term.

In bits and pieces, between hiccups and snorts Audrey finally managed to get the story out of her eldest daughter.

Christopher Spinnet, a Gryffindor in the seventh was the aim of Molly's affections and Chris had recently started taking a shine to Molly much to her delight. He'd helped her with homework while she offered him quidditch advice, the pair had worked every night once a week for a couple of hours on the quidditch field and then spent the rest of the evening in the changing rooms with Chris helping her with Arithmancy homework.

So when he suggested sneaking out to the Hog's Head one evening, she hadn't been utterly excited about it but hey it was Chris Spinnet, why would she make herself look young and pathetic by saying no? Only she hadn't realised that most of his friends would also be going, including those already graduated from Hogwarts. There'd been Kyle Finch-Fletchley, Jason Belby, Thomas McLaggen, as well as Cho Chang's son Kieran Hawthorn, and Tony Edgecombe. She was also the only girl and while they were decent enough to her, they all kept buying drinks and she just drank and drank and drank. Then it turned out Chris had a girlfriend, who arrived just before they were rumbled and proceeded to snog the life out of Chris. At that point Molly just kept drinking whatever was in front of her, whether it was hers or not. But then the Hogs Head landlord Dean Thomas had come to their corner, realised Molly was there, flipped out and called for Percy while threatening those there with dire consequences.

The rest of the tale Audrey knew; her and Perce apparating to Hogsmede in a panic to find Molly slumped on the table with Dean talking to her calmly and gently. Percy going a little bit mental at everything and everyone and then deciding they should probably stay the night in the Hogs Head (which had dramatically improved since her days at Hogwarts) because they didn't want to take Molly home in such a state. A message to Hogwarts alerted Headmaster Flitwick of the absence of Molly and with that they were now here, the day after in the girl's bedroom. Percy had wanted to withhold Pepper Up Potion from her but Audrey firmly said they would only get answers if Molly wasn't draped in bed with a hangover to rival Bacchus.

After wiping her daughter's tears, and accepting her hiccupped apologies Audrey kissed her forehead and put her back into bed.

"Go to sleep darling, you'll feel awful for the rest of the day and don't worry I will sort your father."

That's exactly what Audrey did, she left the room to be met with a furious Percy, but pressed her finger to her lips and led him downstairs. She watched his expressions as she recounted their daughter's lovelorn plight; the anger varied but it was now directed at the others involved and then there was a softness in his eyes as he glanced up at the ceiling.

"I'm still mad as hell at her." He sighed, pulling Audrey into his embrace.

"I am too, but I've been there and done that, I know how much she's hurting and that won't go away. She also has to go back to school which will be hard for her – she has enough of a punishment without you or I adding to it. She knows we're angry and we know she's sorry."

"You are unbelievably wise sometimes." Perce kissed his wife on the cheek before smiling fondly at her. "Let's hope Lucy doesn't do the same."


	4. Christmas Rush

A/N: There is somewhat of an overarching storyline to these... somewhat. Sort of. You'll see!

Neville and Hannah - you can argue out Neville's love interest in the reviews (hint hint)

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"Hannah love?" Neville's voice echoed through the Leaky Cauldron and a few moments later his wife appeared looking a little frazzled. She leant over the bannister where she had been setting up cleaning spells in rooms.

"Where do you want the Christmas tree?"

"It's November, what Christmas tree?" She flapped her hands before striding down the stairs across the pub floor to the door. Outside the door stood a 25 foot Christmas tree, being propped by a rather grumpy looking elf. "That is not mine." She gaped at the monstrosity.

"Says on my sheet that it is. One 25 foot Christmas tree, 9th November, Mrs Hannah Longbottom." He held out the clipboard and Hannah read the messy script.

"I ordered a 9th foot Christmas tree to arrive on the 25th November." She stated, handing back the board. "So you can take that back with you mister." Hands on hips she raised one eyebrow but the elf was having none of it.

"Well it's not coming with me I've got others to deliver."

"You can and will take it back first." She glowered. "I'll be damned if you think I'm paying for this monstrosity."

Neville quietly snuck inside, knowing his wife's temper and the stubbornness of elves… well that argument wasn't going to resolve itself quickly or quietly and he decided his talents would be of better use inside the Leaky Cauldron.

When Hannah came in red-faced half an hour later, the rooms were spotless, the rags were cleaning the bar and the lunch meal of the day was being chopped up in the kitchen.

"Bloody fools! They're not getting my money now." She raved but stopped short at the sight of Neville moving fire wood to the basket by the hearth. After ten years of marriage she still appreciated the sight of her husband's muscles, even if they were under that thin jumper of his.

"They're not." He soothed her with a kiss after dumping the last load of logs.

"Where am I going to get a tree now, and what am I going to do with that monster?!" She wailed. "It will not submit to my shrinking charm!" She seethed.

"No, the Elfin Tree Company grows anti-magic into the roots of most of their trees, so people don't buy the smallest tree and then enlarge it."

"Damn it." She growled, glaring back at the door, knowing there was a 25 foot Christmas tree propped in one of her yards.

"I'll fix it love. I've started the stew for lunch but needs your watchful eye on it." Neville kissed her on the head again, pulled on his winter coat and vanished from her sight with a wave of his fingers. Hannah smiled fondly after him – Neville's kindness would never cease to surprise her. The good in his heart overwhelmed her at times; it almost made her cry when she realised all fifteen bedrooms had been tidied ready for the new guests. This might not seem like much but after Sally her last cleaning witch had left in a screaming rage, Hannah had been doing them herself for the last three weeks on top of everything else. Seamus was due back from Ireland in a week, so at least she knew that her bartender would be back and maybe she'd feel a little more human and a little less cart-horse again.

By lunch time the crowds had bustled in and Hannah was practically skating around the room, so rushed off her feet she was that she barely noticed Neville coming back in. Until she realised he was behind the bar serving customers while she took food orders. Thank heavens she still had Mary out back, continuously delivering out the food orders to hungry and cold shoppers.

A couple of hours later the rush finally died down and the trio ended up sagging against the bar.

"If you want to go and eat Mary please do." Hannah waved a tired hand at the recently graduated Hogwarts student and the dark haired girl slowly vanished back to the kitchens for her own lunch.

"Well that was quite a rush we really have to hire someone for the Christmas period at least." Neville wiped his brow comically before bending down to kiss his wife.

"This isn't fair on you, it's a weekend you shouldn't be here working while you're off from your proper job." She bit her lip but Neville smiled.

"Nonsense, I married a landlady, I knew what I was getting myself into." He smirked and she laughed as well. "I also fixed your Christmas tree problem." He kissed her again, for a little longer this time.

"How?" His kisses always made her a little breathless, and that was without running around like a headless hippogriff for the last two hours.

"I just fixed it, don't worry. You'll see come 25th November." He promised before stretching out his back. "Now I'm going down to old Thistlewits to see if we can hire someone else for Christmas, give them a chance to train before Diagon Alley's Christmas Shoppers descend on us. Plus we need a new cleaning witch or wizard." He started to leave before poking his head back in. "Love you." He blew a kiss before vanishing out into the blustery Alley leaving a tired and hungry Hannah looking on bemused.

She really did pinch herself over her marriage to Neville Longbottom; Ginny may have the Chosen One and the other two of the Golden trio may have netted one another but she privately thought she had the best Gryffindor of the bunch.


	5. Knowing Things

A/N: Random little poppet into this storyline!

* * *

Teddy Lupin knew a few things about life.

He wasn't the greatest when it came to academics – he was told he took after his Uncle Harry in that respect who averaged at classes quite often. Not like Aunt Hermione, who could save the world, stop Uncle Harry and Ron from doing something stupid and still ace her Arithmancy class.

So he didn't know a lot about education but he knew a few things about life. He knew it wasn't always fair, he knew it could be tough and painful. He saw that from a young age when he attended the Memorials with his Nana Dromeda and Uncle Harry. He knew that when he looked at the pictures of his mother and father in their short happy time together, but he also knew that there was always light. Always light.

On the darkest of days there would always be a light to find and usually his light found him. His light was a tall strawberry blonde ball of energy. His light would occasionally drop into rapid French when she was excited or passionate, who had her mother's elegance and her father's sense of humour. A light that Teddy was happy to call his girlfriend, and with a deep breath, would hopefully be calling his fiancée in a few hours' time.

He'd psyched himself up to this for months, he'd asked Bill and Fleur three times, just because he had panicked over her saying no so often, and to his relief by the third time Bill just held up a piece of A4 paper with the word 'yes' written on it. They'd laughed and then popped to the Dragon Heart in the village near Bill's House. In the end Harry had had to take him for a broomstick ride around Hogwarts to cool his jitters.

But now this was the moment, there was no Harry, Ron, George, Ginny, Hermione, Nana Dromeda, or Bill or even Charlie to owl for advice. It was just him and Victoire in the wilds of Cumbria on a holiday together. The muggle cottage they were staying in was beautifully sweet and Teddy was enjoying just spending time with Vicky, they hiked up mountains, walked to waterfalls and admired the pub lunches with great gusto, leaving not a crumb behind. It gave him a warm fuzzy feeling in his chest and now as he packed his rucksack for the next trek up a hill known as "The Struggle", he slipped another little box in beside his spare water bottle.

The hill really did live up to its name and by the time they reached the very top, past the pub they would soon be eating in, Teddy felt very out of shape, but of course his Vicky had her mother's genes and there was barely a hair out of place under that adorable bobble hat. While envying his girlfriend's stunning tolerance to hard exercise, he dumped his rucksack on the floor by his feet and fished around in it. Now was the perfect time to…

"Marry me." Vicky turned to him and he was alarmed to see an apprehensive look on her face, even before her words registered in his head.

"What?" He asked, rather shocked and his brain wasn't processing.

"Teddy Lupin will you do the honour of being my husband…?" She was pensive now, her eyes searching his face.

"No… I mean…" Her face fell in a heartbeat and her expression closed off. "Ahh no!" He stood up fast and tripped over his bag in his haste. "Don't misunderstand me, you pipped me to the post!" He garbled. Vicky, now bemused more than anything looked at the love of her life in a heap on the floor and her breath caught in her throat. There in his hand was a small navy coloured box and as he fumbled for the lid, she let out of a soft cry at the sight of the ring nestling inside.

She launched herself at him, the pair tumbling to the floor once more, ignoring the rocks beneath them as they stared at one another.

"Of course I'll marry you." He whispered. "You weren't supposed to ask me, I was supposed to ask you." He muttered and smiled up at her awkwardly.

"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't have a ring sorted and I didn't plan this, I just wanted it to happen, right here in the moment." She shrugged and let out a laugh again. "So yes, I will marry you Edward Lupin. I would love to be your wife."

Teddy and Victoire walked down The Struggle and Teddy was thinking again.

He knew a few things about life, but one thing he was dead certain on was that Victoire Weasley was one of the best things to ever have happened into his life. That, and Grammy Weasley was going to hug him to death now that he would be 'officially' part of the family.


	6. Christmas

A/N: I'm not posting anything until at least after New Year, I decided my account needs a break.

But Merry Christmas and have this smorgasbord of characters!

* * *

Christmas was a stressful time for Molly Weasley. It always had been with her multitude of offspring. It was more so now that they had offspring as well and the family had grown by leaps and bounds. That and the numerous family friends that came with the package deal of her children marrying into most of the Hogwarts alumni.

She set out her parchment once more and looked in despair at her kitchen table. She'd moved out of The Burrow when it was destroyed during the War but Molly thought she had the new house feeling like a home again. With everything that had happened after the War, the Weasley Family had received a new house quietly, a new house that could take them in quite comfortably in the hope that they wouldn't notice the fact there would always be one short at the dinner table.

That was probably why Molly and Arthur had opened their doors to every straggler and helped them heal.

Shaking her head free of such painful thoughts, Molly ran her quill down the list once more; 'Charlie and his boyfriend Carlos, Bill, Fleur, Victoire and Teddy (she grinned at the new official addition) Dominique and Louis of course, then Harry, Ginny, Albus, James and Lily, Hermione, Ron and Hugo and Rose of course… Would Percy be joining this year or were they going to Audrey's parents this year? No, she found their names on the list as well, George, Angelina, Freddie and Roxy.' Molly's heart contracted a little but she ploughed through, running the quill up and down the list once more. Albus was rooming with the Malfoy's son and she distinctly remembered Scorpius Malfoy helping Hugo with an issue….

Ahh that was it, Hugo had floo'd her urgently with bright green hair, desperately trying not to cry and equally desperate not to call his mother about it. Molly smiled at the memory – Hermione Granger was a loving mother, that she would never doubt but Hugo had inherited his father's knack of dodgy magic and it had driven Hermione mad, that and she'd ground him for three months knowing he'd been practising spells above his grade. Ironic really.

Albus had run in the middle of the call with Scorpius hot on his tail gabbling how 'Scorp could fix it because Scorp could fix anything so he wasn't to worry.' He'd waved hello to Nana Weasley and then proceeded to sit Hugo down while Scorp waved his wand in a complicated pattern over Hugo's rather fearful head.

Barely a minute later and the green was fading out and Hugo's reddish brown hue was shining through.

"It's okay, all you did was wrong you mixed the gamma and the alpha parts of the spell, but I say you give your hair a break before you attempt it again." Molly had heard Scorpius' advice to one of her youngest grandchildren with a fond smile.

"If I'm not needed now may I please go before Professor McGonagall has your heads for illegal Floo calling?" Molly raised one eyebrow at the trio who nodded back at her. "Hugo try not to do anything rash, if there's a girl you're trying to impress changing your hair colour is not the way forward love." She blew a kiss at the fireplace and let the flames die down.

Maybe Molly should write to Albus and ask if Scorpius wanted to join them for Christmas. It must be terrible up at the Manor with all of those memories hanging around while Lucius was locked away. Poor Narcissa, why had she never dropped by for tea, Lord knows everybody else had!

Tapping her quill thoughtfully to her lips, Molly pulled a new piece of parchment towards her and soon jotted the letter down to Albus and whistled for Johanna the owl. The great creature was a beast to look at but was rather sweet tempered when it came to Mrs Weasley, though she had a fearful dislike for Ron who called her every name under the sun, another fond memory that often made Molly smile. Tying off the letter, she gave Johanna a treat and opened the kitchen window for the bird to spread her wings. Molly meanwhile returned to her lists and added four more names to the bottom of her attendance list.

~.~

Narcissa Malfoy admittedly felt nervous when she rolled up to the Weasley Home on Christmas Day. The Malfoy foursome had apparated from the Manor to the doorstep of the house in the middle of Devon and now Narcissa nervously smoothed out her skirts. But Scorpius, unaware of his Grandmother's apprehension, rang the doorbell and the group was soon greeted by Ron Weasley who happily welcomed them inside.

"Mum said you were coming. Come in, Hugo take Mrs Malfoy's coat and hang it up nicely." Ron sighed as his twelve year old scampered off in the wrong direction. There was a barrage of noise and introduction that left the three older Malfoys faintly shell shocked, but Scorp took it all in his stride – he was used to the madness of the Weasley genes, so much so that he barely glanced back at his family and instead nipped off with Albus and Rose, chattering away about two weeks of missed gossip.

Instead it was Hermione and Arthur that saved the Malfoys from the madness.

"Mrs Malfoy." Arthur came up to her and offered his hand.

"Please call me Narcissa." She smiled brightly, pasting on her hostess expression in the face of such chaos.

"Gladly, Molly's in the kitchen it's a little quieter in there, do you want a drink or anything?" Arthur steered her away and left Astoria and Draco to Hermione's tender mercies. Hermione raised one brow and for a moment looked to cause a scene when she let out a sigh.

"My youngest isn't doing cloakroom duty too well it he? Pass me your coats while, George..." She whistled once, sharp and piercing that brought Ron, George and Charlie to her side. "Ahh these three fine men will get you a drink." She laughed as she took the coats.

"Hermione has us well trained." George admitted as he and Angelina made room on the sofa for Astoria while Harry vacated his chair for Draco to sit down beside her.

"Very well trained, it's a blessing." Ginny grinned as Harry lifted her so she would sit on his lap.

"Welcome to our very chaotic Christmas, if you're not Weasley blood it seems oh so mad but it's a strangely efficient machine, all down to the wonder that is Molly Weasley." Angelina nodded and handed over a flute of champagne to Astoria.

"It's wonderful." She smiled back at George and Angelina and the conversation soon lapsed into a wonderful easiness that Draco never thought he would feel around the Weasleys. He congratulated Teddy and Victoire on their new engagement, he took great interest in Dominique's new contraption – apparently she was a budding inventor and was trying to integrate muggle technology into the wizarding world without it blowing up – he laughed at a rather scandalous story told by Carlos and he gladly offered his help in the kitchen when Narcissa stuck her head around the door.

It all felt very surreal but he was there, expensive sleeves rolled up in order to help Molly "The Wonder" Weasley out in the kitchen and noted with a smile that the glow on his mother's face wasn't solely from the heat of the cookers.

~.~

Molly sat down, having been pushed to the head of the table as the matriarch of the rather extended family and she smiled at the faces around her. She looked at the intermingled faces; her children, grandchildren, in-laws and family friends. She laughed as Neville and Hannah were blown in by a wintery gale and quickly took their places at the end of the table and she looked thoughtfully at the Malfoys' who seemed right at home in her patchwork crazy Christmas day.

Lifting her glass in a toast led by her darling husband, Molly missed Fred like crazy still, the ache in her heart would never go away, but she felt its raw edges softened by those clustered around her. She listened to Arthur's words with a fond smile and soon settled into her dinner with gusto, marvelling at the stories Lucy was telling her about the time she found a blimpskin (Luna must stop babysitting) while Louis vied with a tale about a Niggletop. This exploded a discussion about vampiric puffskeins known as Snuffletrops while Scorpius weighed in with sightings of a pixie breed known as Woodlequilts. She saw the gleam in his eye but Lucy didn't, who was now arguing heatedly with her father about the existence of such creatures as Percy still wasn't Luna Scamander's greatest fan. Luna was in New York at the moment, if Molly's memory served correctly, with her hare brained husband hunting out nargles, but she'd be back next Christmas.

Ahh next Christmas, she should probably start planning now.


	7. Natural Born Slytherin

A/N: So I wrote this before Christmas last year, actually right at the start of December so it's a good four months since I cast my eye over it properly... I'm not sure if I still like it but I reminded myself this is how families operate, we argue!

So enjoy, I think!

* * *

"Freddie stop!" Angelina was running around the house with a rather frazzled look on her face. Her tearaway teen was running amok, but she couldn't blame him, there was a reason – the snapper crab attached to the back of his sweatshirt.

"Get it off!" He shrieked and continued to flail.

That was the sight that greeted George Weasley – his son and wife running around the house, like a scene straight from a cartoon and then there was the conspicuous absence of his daughter. Narrowing his eyes, he quickly assessed the scene and loped up the stairs. Angelina had married **him;** one snapper crab would not be a problem for his entirely capable wife. It was Roxanne that would require his attentions; she was a natural born Slytherin, much to the amusement of her parents. She had the intellect of her Aunt Hermione, coupled with the devilish creativity of her late uncle Fred – she was a formidable opponent as McLaggen Junior had found out, he'd been hospitalised when he tried to bully her in her first year. However it was not always the arrogance of McLaggen that got her evil genius juices blowing - occasionally it was big brother Freddie who too often played the big brother card and never learnt.

Finding Roxy missing from her room, George swept his glance around the empty bedroom before quickly pocketing the Lampy Orb. He soon disappeared down the stairs to help Angelina extract their son from the snappers grasp. Fifteen minutes later Pickwick the crab (affectionately christened by Angie) was sat in a new tank and glaring at his temporary owners. Roxy was still absent and Freddie was now sulking, nursing his bruised ego back in his own room.

Eventually Roxy came back into the house, she gave her parents a cheery greeting before vanishing upstairs. Angie gave George a sly look, sometimes she wondered if her husband was where Roxy got her Slytherin tendencies from, and not his late twin as George would always exclaim.

"3,2,1." George smirked as Angie counted down when they heard their daughter's door banged. Sure enough, there were ferocious footfalls and a shriek.

"What the hell!? Tell Freddie to give me my orb back!" She screeched, slamming open the kitchen door to glare at her parents. She was dumbfounded when her parents continued to cook dinner and barely acknowledged her. "Hey!" She demanded.

"Attitude in check." Angelina turned and raised her eyebrow and Roxy swallowed hard – you did not backchat Angelina Weasley and survive unscathed, the orb would be the least of her problems if that was the case.

"Freddie has stolen my orb, I only got it at Christmas, how am I meant to stay in touch with Izzy?!"

"I've confiscated it." George turned to eyeball his daughter. Her mouth opened to argue but he cut in before her. "Because of the Snapper crab incident. Consider yourself lucky I haven't taken everything Granny Weasley got you." He pointed a wooden spoon at her.

"You're also grounded." Angie lifted the saucepan from the hob and Roxy was now sulking.

"I didn't do anything." She grumped.

"Nice try kiddo, but Uncle Fred and I tried every trick in the book and I know when you're lying." George said sternly. "Your grounded until your mum and I agree you are remorseful for kidnapping a snapper crab from the river, you're going to put him back and then you're going to apologise to your brother."

"But he started it!" She whined. "He started it when he said I fancied Ash Scamander!"

"I'm keeping the orb until you can control that temper of yours." George's face didn't change.

"Fine." She growled and stomped out of the room.

"Young lady!" Angelina raised her voice and Roxy came back in huffing.

"What did I forget?" To give her credit, Roxy really was trying to roll in her temper.

"Why don't you have a fly around the garden to cool yourself off?" Angie looked at her daughter with soft eyes. The temper was all hers and she remembered her young teenage years trying to keep a lid on the fury that bubbled within. "Or you can walk Vladimir?" The dog in question bounded up from his place by the fireplace. "Just be back before dinner and I'm sure Izzy will dig that mobile cell out of her wardrobe and you can talk that way - you don't need the orb."


	8. Jitters

A/N: It's been a while BUT this little snippet is for Bill's family!

Enjoy!

* * *

Bill Weasley knew this day was coming. Ever since he watched Teddy Lupin run headlong into his eldest daughter at the train station. He watched the spark between the pair. He would chuckle when Vicky would flounce back in and bemoan the very existence of Edward Lupin.

He watched the two of them vie and flourish besides one another. He watched the change when Victoire would primp a little more than usual for family events if Bill would casually say that Teddy would be there. He watched his eldest daughter's unconscious actions, her usual elegance and poise lost in a sea of hormones as her and Teddy often clashed and butted heads.

Then he watched the change when the pair finally realised that the head butting was entirely unnecessary, they already had the other person's attention and that kissing one another was far more fun. Admittedly that stage gave Bill some grey hairs and premature ageing but Fleur laughed away his fears.

Bill knew that this moment was always going to happen but that didn't stop the lump in his throat. It didn't stop the tears collecting as he looked at his radiant wife and daughters clustered around a vanity, putting the finishing touches to Victoire's veil.

He had already seen the nervous state of Teddy, James as his best friend, Harry looking after ring (in reality he knew Ginny had the ring because none of the three could be trusted) but Bill was lost for words as the three women before him fluttered with soft words and gentle smiles. Then Nicky saw him and grinned up at her father's emotional face.

"She looks perfect doesn't she dad?" His youngest bounded over to him and caught his arm.

"Can I be emotional and clichéd?" Bill managed to choke out.

"Once." Vicky raised her brows with a smile.

"When did you grow up so fast?" He was aware that he was crying now and that Fleur was handing him a handkerchief but he held his oldest at arms-length and stared at her incredulously. "Can't we go back to the days when boys were icky and Teddy Lupin was the worst thing since your Grand'Mere tried to give you frogs legs?" He laughed as she did and as Louis stuck his head round the door the five were soon ensconced in a small family hug before facing the extended drama of the Weasley clan.

"Ready poppet?" Bill whispered as Louis and Fleur vanished out of the front of the church and Nicky straightened her sister's train.

"Ready Dad." He could see the same determination in her face that she gave when she had approached exams, or a quidditch match, or a new work project. It meant she was scared but Bill could not mistake the radiant happiness shining through her eyes.

"Well come on then love, after that only got to find someone that will keep Nicky." He laughed as his youngest squawked.

"What about Louis?" She protested as they heard the church organ start up.

"As long as someone feeds him, that boy will go anywhere, he's like your Uncle Ron." Bill laughed as the doors opened slowly.

"Good, I'll find him someone." Victoire laughed and they were the last words spoken as the ceremony begun.

What felt like an eternity later, it was just Fleur and Bill stood on the pier together. Still dressed in their wedding outfits, they braced against the bluster of the weather worn jetty they had installed so many summers ago to Shell Cottage and the pair looked out at the fierce surf with mixed emotions.

"It's weird isn't it?" Fleur broke the silence.

"Like she hasn't lived here for years but now it's definite?" Bill answered and felt her nod in reply. "I can't imagine how mum went through it with so many of us, one's nearly killed me." Fleur shifted in his arms and wrapped herself around him at his softly spoken words. It was a habit they had learnt to offer when either needed comfort, and now Bill rested his chin on the top of her head in response.

"One of our babies is married." Fleur stated and the enormity of it seemed to fill the whole coast line. "This means we're old."

Bill laughed and so did Fleur. It was a dizzying feeling, as if the pair were stood on the edge of a chasm holding hands and wondering whether to jump. Instead the pair laughed, they laughed for ages, stood under the stars being battered by wind and sea spray ruining the silk dress and tie. Instead they kissed and held one another as their emotions rocketed at the sudden, official loss of one daughter despite having none of their children live with them. Instead they kissed fiercely and forgot their age, their place, their experiences and just sank into one another, something they hadn't done in so long.

"I love you." He said hoarsely and Fleur smiled back up at him.

"I love you more than you can know Bill Weasley." She held him close to her and with a shiver the pair retired to bed, utterly exhausted by the day.


End file.
